Coupling



Dec. 1, 1936. o. s. CARTIER 2,062,740

`COUPLING Filed March 18, 1935 zvsheets-sheet 1 /NVENTR Oclaz/e Jans Carzer Ille. I u s N.WWMNIHIIFW\ l1 )AnroRNEY O. S. CARTIER Dec. 1,1936.

COUPLING Filed March 18, 1955' 2 Sheets-sheet 2 Octav Patented Dec. 1, 1936 A2U Nfl'T'ED STI ES PATENT f-GFfF-ICE musas/4o COUPLING I p Octave .Sans-Cartier, Ansonvilleyntariofanada A Application'March 18, 1935, SerialNd i11:,'547

'7 Claims.

This Einvention relates `to improvements in a coupling and `appertains particularly vto la cou- .pling for irailroad cars and the like lhaving -an `automatic connection for theservice lines such as )5 therairhose telephone line, electric wires, etc.

The principal object of' the invention istofprovide a car 'coupling carried by the 'usual draw 4bar-and ffromvwhic'h latter an adjustable frame is supported lin `which a compressible battery of service linesiis mounted and held by `spring ypressure in normal position for engagement.

.A further object of the'invention is-to fprovide -a car fcoupling Lwith automatic service lin'e sconnections in 'which the Ycompressible battery `fis carried ;by a frame that .may .be adjusted vertically, 4laterally and longitudinally with respect toits 'supporting .drawbar so as to :be properly aligned for engagement 'with a similar `unit or fanother car unit ,and in which *frame the .battery Lof service line connections Yis Yuniversally Ymounted -so that the `sameislfreeto ,teeter'vertically .or horizontally after connection as `.the adjoined cars "round curves or yzvaryftheir .relative vertical relation.

A further object of the invention Ais ithe pro- `vision of a car `coupling having service linezconnections automatically vcontrolled by lthe .coupling of .the cars without -any attention byf-.an operator and which may beselectivel-y .cut voff -from such Yautomatic control when ytheequipped unitfof rollingstock is being coupled :with-:units not so provided in 'which case the :alternative 'usualrconnecting means that may :also be :carried .are :instantly available.

A still furtherobject lof the invention i-s the fprovisionof `a car coupling -withautomaticservice line l-Iconn'ections of the nature and r-for :the purposes described that is characterized by structuralfsimplicity, durabilitypefciency and relative low cost of production whereby the same is rendered commercially desirable.

To the accomplishment of these and related objects as will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall be hereinafter more fully de-i scribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

The invention will be best understood and can be more clearly described when reference is had to the drawings forming a part of this disclosure, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:-

'-Figure 1 is -a lsectionalyside elevation of coupling 4andA connection vof fservice lines of two-cars 'equipped' with my invention; l

Figure 2 is `an -endelevation of connections yon one car unit -5 Figure '1i-:isa 'vertical transverse section i(simi lar to Figure 2) taken on linevf 4fo'f @Figure l,` `rlooking in rthe idirection indicated-"by the arrows. -10

Under the drawbar', Aoffthe-usual coupling this automaticconnection for a batteryo'f service linesis lmounted. A'fbracket 'l depends near the vinner-end while a horizontaltwo'deck I swivel plate y8 is verticallyiadjustable below lthe `15 `forwardor outer end by a'laterallys'pacedpair of threaded studs `zil with a (5o-operatingr .pair of nuts '-IIl v-on:each. A king-pin IfI through the center of thislplate E8 supports a frame I2 whose bottomis heldbyan falignedlking pin iI13between 20 the A--arms fo'f ithefforlkedforward#end of Iavv longitudinal rod I4, whose'base'or v-rearPI connects with the flowerfendfof thebracket '1 andrfwhich `is formed in jtwo sections .connected and1ongitudinally adjustable by a left-might "turn- '25 buckle JIS. A f-U-shaped 1'rrieIr-iberflfl 'f1-bridges Ithe lside wallsof'`the"'frame 2I2and'has a-flaring slot I`8 in Lits vrear between which y-an'd `the rear or ,base LIS `of 'thero'd I4 a'lstrip .of spring 'steel I-'9 is stretched, itsrear end being'anchored-injthe base I5 `while the forward :end-isslotted asat A2Il tto .move 'oni the rtransverse rconnection ypin L@2| A'hcusing or cy1inder122iisrcarriedfintthe -frame I2 and Vis free :to 'teeter'on the horizontalA pinsv 23 but is stea'died coriheld in`-normal;position rby f leaf g5 sprin'gs24 -fastened `:infbrackets 25 fonthe -sides vof Athe frame I2. vIheseffsprings engage the bottom k,of the-.cylinderZZ ,nearteach vend. A .hollowpipe or stem 26 slides throughthis-cylinder.:andprof jects out each end. A collar 21 is keyed thereon 40 within the cylinder and a coil spring 28 is compressed between the collar and the closed rear end of the cylinder normally forcing the stem 26 forward. An L 29 with a 45 valve 30 on the projecting rear end of the stem 26, by virtue of 45 connection by a bracket arm 3| with the cylinder 22, operates to open or close on the sliding of the stem and as the L 29 connects by a valved T 32 with the usual air line 33 the same is automatically opened on the compression of the stem 26 50 against the coil spring 28.

The connecting head 34, rigid on the forward end of the stem 26, appears as a rectangular block with an air-sealing cup-washer 35 surrounding the end of the airline opening and suitably spaced 55 the automatic l around it, as above and below, are spring mounted contacts 36 in insulated bearings 31 whose connecting wires 38 extend back beyond the cylinder 22, to carry off in a main 39. The wires 38 are enclosed in tubes 40 rigidly connected to the head 34 and slidable in bearings 4| on opposite ends of the cylinder housing. For accurately centering, steadying, and interlocking connected head 34, the same is provided with a plurality of bevelled spring fingers 42, preferably oiset from center of top and sides and adapted to engage accommodating seats 43 in the adjoined head.

Having thus described the structure of the invention, brief reference is now made to its use and modus operandi: As two cars or other similarly equipped units of rolling stock are brought together and coupled, the engaging heads locate and align each other by the oppositely olset spring fingers that lock each other together as the heads press tightly, while at the same time the electric contacts engage, completing the telephone line and other electric lines and on the compression of the stems, as the heads lock, the air line valve is opened completing the automatic connection of all these services. Similarly on the uncoupling of the cars, the telephone, electric and other service lines are broken and the air line is automatically closed without any attention from the operator.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be manifest that a coupling is provided that Will fulfill all the necessary requirements of such a device, but as many changes could be made in the above description and many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention may be constructed within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matters contained in the said accompanying specification and drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitative or restrictive sense.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:-

l. A coupling for automatically connecting service lines comprising in` combination with a draw bar, a frame suspended therefrom and adjustable vertically, laterally and longitudinally with respect thereto, a housing carried by said frame and alforded a universal movement in conjunction therewith, resilient means for normally aligning said housing with the drawbar and a connecting head compressible toward said housing, adapted to align with, engage and lock on a companion head, said connecting head having a stem slidably supported in said housing and service line enclosing tubes slidably supported by said housing exteriorly thereof.

2. A service coupling, in combination with the usual draw bar, comprising a battery head in which the ends of various service lines are amassed, a reciprocable stem for said head and to which the usual air hose connects, a valve therein operable on the reciprocation of said stem, a universally movable cylinder for carrying said stem, a draw bar supported frame for said cylinder adjustable vertically. laterally and longitudinally of said draw bar, and means between said draw bar and frame for longitudinally aligning the latter with said draw bar and resilient means between said frame and cylinder for normally holding the latter horizontal.

3. A service coupling comprising in combination with a draw bar and coupling, a bracket depending from said draw bar, a horizontal swivel plate laterally and vertically adjustable beneath said coupling; a longitudinally adjustable rod extending forwardly from said bracket; a vertically pivoted frame supported by said plate and said rod, a cylinder horizontally pivoted between its ends in said frame, resilient means carried by said frame for horizontally centering said cylinder, a head for said service coupling adapted to engage acompanion head, a stem for said head reciprocable in said cylinder against compression and connecting with the usual air hose, a valve in said air hose, and means engaging the same from said cylinder to cause its operation on the longitudinal movement of said stem.

4. In combination with claim 3, means supported from said bracket for longitudinally aligning said frame with said draw bar.

5. In combination with claim 3, means associated with said longitudinally adjustable rod and slidably connected with said frame for longitudinally aligning the latter With said draw bar.

6. In combination with the structure of claim 2,

bearings at both ends both top and bottom of said..

cylinder, service lines reaching to said head and tubes for enclosing said service lines connected to said head and slidable in said bearings.

7. A coupling for automatically connecting service lines, comprising in combination with a drawbar, a frame suspended therefrom and adjusted vertically, laterally and longitudinally with respect thereto, a housing carried by said frame and aiforded universal movement in conjunction therewith, resilient means for aligning said housing with the drawbar, a stem slidably supported in said housing, a connecting head on the end of said stem adapted to align with, engage and lock on a companion head and service line outlets which are adapted to be severally completed on the compression engagement of said head.

OCTAVE SANS CARTIER.

massed in said connecting head, the services of .5.5 

